1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to food preparation; in particular this invention relates to an apparatus used to prepare meats and poultry; and more particularly this invention relates to an apparatus and method to tenderize meats and poultry products.
2. State of the Art
People slaughter animals to produce meat and eat the meat. The meat may be tender or tough depending on the species of the animal slaughtered, its breed, its health, its feed, the amount of exercise it got, whether it was fed at a feed lot before slaughter, and a variety of other factors. People tend to prefer tender meat because it is easier to eat, easier to digest, and tends to be more flavorful. Consequently, a variety of methods have been developed over the years to tenderize meat and make it more palatable for human consumption.
Pounding meat with hammers and the like are the most common means of tenderizing meat. Steaks, chops, and similar flat pieces of meat are prepared by striking them forcefully with a hammer or other blunt object. Meats prepared this way need to use a specific technique, or the meat may be unevenly tenderized. Meats prepared this way, as are shellfish (for example, abalone) and other types of fish and poultry are not only tenderized, but also thinned and sometimes the piece of meat is pierced or otherwise rendered less usable by pounding.
Other methods of tenderizing meat include marinating, aging, and the like, but these methods all require extra time to be fully effective and can change the texture and flavor of the meat being treated.
Therefore, there is a need for a method and apparatus of tenderizing meats that is safer than a hammer, provides for a quick and efficient tenderization-of the meats such that it will not shred or otherwise harm the meat rendering it useless, and allows for a more sanitary way to tenderize meats.